SETTING THE SCENE
Taking the court at home for the second consecutive game in the NIT, Stanford men's basketball welcomes Kent State on Sunday, March 23 at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
THE STARTING FIVE
• The Cardinal holds a 21-13 record this season (11-9 ACC), including ACC wins over North Carolina, SMU, California (2x), Virginia Tech, Virginia, Florida State, Syracuse, NC State, Boston College and Miami, including two quadrant one NET wins. The Cardinal is 17-2 at home this season and went 9-1 in ACC play.
• Stanford’s roster holds an exciting mix of returning players, transfers and freshmen, led by the premier center in the country, Maxime Raynaud. Selected to the All-ACC first team, Raynaud is 15th nationally in scoring at 20.1 points per game and ninth in rebounding with 10.6 per night. He is second in the ACC in scoring and first in rebounding, and his 24 double-doubles this season pace the nation. No other major conference player has more than 21, and he is the only player in the country averaging at least 20 and 10.
• Three players are averaging double figures, paced by Raynaud but also including Oziyah Sellers (13.8) and Jaylen Blakes (12.8). Both players are posting career-best numbers by a comfortable margin.
• Stanford is postseason bound for the first time since 2018, and it earned a 17-point win in the opening round of the NIT over CSUN, 87-70, led by 20-point outings from Raynaud and Sellers. A win over Kent State would be the 18th at home this season for Stanford, which would set a new program record.
• Kyle Smith joined the Cardinal from Washington State as the reigning Pac-12 Coach of the Year, where he led the Cougars to 25 wins and the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2023-24.
NIT-PICKING
Stanford owns three NIT Championships in program history, coming in 1991, 2012 and 2015, while holding an all-time record of 20-6 in its 10th appearance. Stanford is 12-2 at home in the NIT, including 10 straight wins since 2006, and it has advanced to the second round, or further, in each of its last six appearances. The postseason appearance is the fourth in a row for a Kyle Smith-led program, including an NCAA Tournament second round showing in 2024 with Washington State.